Understanding the Term “Baiting” in VALORANT
In the world of VALORANT, players often engage in name-calling, which leads to a lack of recognition for their teammates’ efforts. One term that causes a lot of confusion is “baiting.”
A Reddit user, u/Comfortable_Egg_4114, recently posted a clip showcasing their ace as Killjoy on Haven. However, their friend accused them of baiting and they wanted the community to verify if their gameplay actually reflected that.
According to u/Comfortable_Egg_4114, their friend accused them of baiting because they got an ace after lurking through B. However, upon reviewing the clip, it is clear that there was no baiting involved. Baiting in VALORANT refers to when players intentionally wait for enemies to kill their teammates instead of taking clear shots themselves or using their teammates’ vulnerable positions to secure kills.
In this particular case, the player lurks through B Main and attacks the enemy team from behind in C Site, which is considered lurking. Although they could have communicated better with their team about the potential backstab or enemy position, it is not classified as baiting.
Many players in the comments of the Reddit post agreed that the term “baiting” is often misused and lacks a solid explanation. In lower Elo matches, it’s not uncommon for players to accuse others of baiting simply because they refuse to push through certain areas or abilities. This can be quite annoying for those receiving the blame.
While baiting can be a viable strategy in high Elo games, where winning the round outweighs the importance of having all teammates alive, it is rarely effective in lower Elo matches. In fact, if you try to correct a teammate’s mistake in the Silver rank, they might accuse you of baiting for no reason.
It’s essential for VALORANT players to appreciate and acknowledge good plays like u/Comfortable_Egg_4114’s bait-free ace. Instead of resorting to baseless name-calling, players should focus on offering constructive advice to help their teammates improve.
VALORANT, baiting, low-Elo matches, high Elo, ace